15 Consumerism Scams That Trick You Into Spending Money
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- Опубликовано: 26 июн 2024
- Companies use a wide variety of psychological tricks to get you to spend money without you noticing. In this video, I expose 15 of these scams.
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Chapters:
00:00 Start Here
01:06 Dropping The Dollar Sign
01:43 Adding An Expensive Item On The Menu
02:27 Listing Highest Prices On The Top Of The Menu
03:18 Tiny Price Differences Between Larger Sizes
04:42 Shinkflation
05:36 Giant Grocery Carts
06:20 The Number 9 Trick
06:45 Random Price Numbers
07:45 Outlet Malls
08:30 Decoy Price Tags
09:08 Store Credit Cards
10:01 Fake Online Product Reviews
11:22 One Click Checkout
11:55 Buy Now Pay Later
12:56 Subscription Services
Companies go to great lengths to trick you into spending money without you noticing. In this video, I share 15 common tricks used to get you to spend more money.
1. Dropping The Dollar Sign
In most full service restaurants nowadays, they do not use dollar signs on their menu. And this is because when you see an amount without a dollar sign, it makes the price seem more friendly, making you focus on the experience rather than the price.
2. Adding An Expensive Item On The Menu
Many restaurants will add one item on the menu that is a lot more expensive than the other items to make the other items seem less in comparison.
3. Listing Highest Prices On The Top Of The Menu
Many self service restaurants will make their menus have the most expensive items on top and the cheaper items at the bottom. And this is because we always read from top to bottom, so we'll make our decision at the top where the items are more expensive before reaching the bottom.
4. Tiny Price Differences Between Larger Sizes
Oftentimes when you get a drink or a small item, the price difference between a small and a large is not that much and this is because restaurants can get customers to spend a dollar more by getting a larger size.
5. Shinkflation
Instead of raising prices, companies are lowering the size of their products, which is called "Shrinkflation." This is because customers are more focused on price rather than weight of the product.
6. Giant Grocery Carts
Grocery stores use giant grocery carts rather than small sized because the giant ones can fit more things in them and you don't notice when you have a bunch of things in them. This makes you spend more money without you realizing.
7. The Number 9 Trick
Grocery stores often use the number 9 at the end of the price to trick customers into thinking they are paying one dollar less for the products.
8. Random Price Numbers
Companies like Walmart will use random price numbers rather than the "9 trick" because it makes you think it is the cheapest price for the item and not want to compare prices as much.
9. Outlet Malls
Outlet malls are often located in really rural areas far from the cities. The reason they do this is because since it requires more effort to get to the store, people view it as more of an experience and spend more money.
10. Decoy Price Tags
Especially at outlet mall, they will use price tags that are three times what the real price is to make you think that you are getting a good deal.
11. Store Credit Cards
Most retail stores have their own credit card that offer discounts and benefits for their members; however, these cards are designed to get you to spend more at the store and shop specifically at the store.
12. Fake Online Product Reviews
Most online reviews are fake and written by AI to convince you that a product is good and you should buy the product.
13. One Click Checkout
Often in online shopping, you can save your card and address information and place orders with just a click of a button. This is designed to take away the feeling that you are spending money, which makes you spend more.
14. Buy Now Pay Later
Overtime, credit keeps changing names and the newest form of credit is buy now, pay later where you can buy a product and pay it off in payments. Companies offer this because their know people don't have the money to buy it, but if given the option to purchase on credit, they'll do it.
15. Subscription Services
Ownership is quickly becoming a thing of the past where instead of buying something, you subscribe to a service. This is because it is a never ending stream of revenue for companies because the payments never stop.
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Хобби
What's another way companies trick you into spending more money?
You dead on on all these are correct.
Impulse purchase items around the cashier: started in supermarkets but I've seen it even in places like Old Navy.
Buy three for $5.00 and then in small print under that sign reads: or one for $2.49. Tricky.
They show handsome, young men half-naked...
All of the tips are spot on Austin! And something else--my bank website has an entire section that has cash back deals if you use the link with your debit card. I remember there used to be only like 20 companies. Now there's got to be like over 60. It's quite sickening really. The "system" or the man IS really set up to get us to spend money. I used to struggle with credit cards and now I understand I am just a person that should never have them. Too much temptation for me. The entire US society yells at us every day to "BUY BUY BUY". I feel like I'm waking up from the Matrix. It's crazy!
My old man always used to say, "That's how they getcha!"
That IS how they gotcha. 😊 wiseman
"Ownership" is a scam too. Once you own most things they are worthless and they take up valuable space. Cars depreciate, homes have never ending repairs, taxes and insurance, not to mention clothes, DVDs etc. etc. Pay to use makes more sense.
Just after we buy things loose most of its value even if don't use it.
I'm proud of myself, I went to Walmart yesterday and got the one thing I came in for, thats actually hard for most people. I don't fall for the impulse buys! Nice video as always!
Never go shopping when hungry (then you’ll buy more) and always write a shopping list and strictly stick to it.
That‘ll help protect you from impulse buying.
That’s usually easy for me😂
Self discipline 💪
LOL. Love these: "Capitalism is making us fat" and, "Ain't no company looking out for you". How true!!
It is!
I love Austin's view on Capitalism. It's so, so true. Completely spot on. Capitalism is a cult
Yep ! And now prices have gone up , people are struggling to cut out their shopping addiction.
@@adrianrackham9807This inflation we're seeing is so absurd, because it's a collective choice we're all making. On the one hand, corporate greed is deliberately raising prices, outpacing intake/overhead costs, ie unnecessary price increases. And then on the other hand, consumers are just accepting these increases.
They schmooze you , and the worst are the luxury handbag companies who convince women to part with the equivalent of a small car, for just carrying a small amount of stuff around. They also use loneliness, and pretend to be the friend of the customer. It's sick.
Buying online is the worst. Forget Amazon. Great way to buy junk and invite thieves to visit your door step. Good idea to use the hands on approach when shopping.
The goal of successful retail stores is to leave the customer feeling/believing/&/telling their friends ... "... it's not how much I spent, it's how much I SAVED (on my multiple purchases bought ON SALE today) ... "
These videos just get better and better El Augustin! Some of these scams like "adding an expensive item on the menu" is something that I've overlooked for years but now I realize it's so scary unless you're aware.
Me to dammm never thought of it
I appreciate it. Gotta keep improving or I get the boot from the algorithm
I always read to the end of the menu..it's not hard! I avoid large menus anyway because that means they mostly have the food frozen.
This is wisdom. Most consumers are not very smart and get suckered, unfortunately.
That's why consumer rights protection system exist. Sad in US even the government is bought and bribed by companies.
The funny thing about the dollar sign “scam” is that it has the opposite effect on me. You go to enough restaurants, you start realizing the most expensive ones are the ones that *don’t* use the dollar signs. I run in the other direction when I see that. 😂
Same!!! I instantly know I'm being scammed if they don't use the £. I'm in the UK obviously
I just don't eat out hardly at all. It's just not worth the money and I have to be convinced that they can make something better than I can. It's just generally a big NO for me. The last thing I bought out was half a cooked chicken from a chicken sales place who sell uncooked chicken as well. Even then they tried to upsell me to buy a whole chicken. It's rampant!
@@deborahcurtis1385 I'm the same as you Debora. I don't eat out because I just can't relax and enjoy the food knowing how much profit they are making from me. I'm not that sociable anyway to be honest and prefer my own company and I'd actually find eating out quite stressful!! It's certainly not worth the price tag for me
Same here, i am instantly turned off by these carnivorous tactics when i see them
I always felt sorry for the Target clerks who were forced to say “Are we saving 10% on our Red Card today?”
I used to change the wording when I was forced to say something similar at work. Just enough that the meaning changed but I couldn't get points off if I was marked.
That is 5% in our area.
Excellent video Augustin! Shrinkflation is running rampant in recent years. Some companies will ever call out how they're saving the environment by using less packaging; failing to call out that there is less product in the package.
I just went to Costco bc we buy their generic paper towels in bulk. They used to have individually wrapped rolls and now they’re just loose in the big plastic package 😂 I knew it was getting bad but the companies can’t afford plastic wrap?! Seriously we are in a real recession no matter what the media says - the stock market obviously doesn’t reflect the real economy. I’m all for less plastic anyway, but it was like. Damn.
Another example of a consumerism scam is car leasing. It’s similar to subscription services in that you never own but just keep paying.
Yeah, I've never understood the benefit of leasing.
@@ElAgustinit's a fleece, as Dave Ramsey calls it.
They get people to lease with the carrot of driving a brand new car without taking on the depreciation. But you pay almost the same monthly payment either way… the dealership benefits by getting a lightly used 2-3 year old pre-owned vehicle which they can resell for a mighty profit + benefiting from the monthly lease payment!! Then of course you have nothing to sell so often people exchange one lease for another and never own a car (which at least you’d eventually do even if you had a car payment). Many people are wise to buying new cars so will look to buy a relatively new car at “discount” price.
But a truly discounted price is a car that is older but with less relative miles on it (or is a car that can withstand miles such as a Honda). We just bought a 2006 Toyota Prius in relatively good condition (only 1 owner) with 185k miles on it and the hybrid battery recently replaced for $5,500 bc the touch screen doesn’t work. Don’t need the touch screen. The original would be $12k to replace according to the dealership, but we can install a different touch screen very affordably when we’ve saved up. We commute 30 mins into the city so having a used hybrid car is really a blessing on our transportation cost!
I could only think of one reason to lease a car, if you are working in an area under contract for a couple of years and need a car while living there. Otherwise, it's a scam to get you to rent a car you could never actually ever afford to buy. I know a guy that leases the Lexus cars. So far, he has leased maybe ten of them but never owned a car. He is forever making car payments but apparently, he doesn't care because its a Lexus and after three years he rents the latest one.
@@schuylergeery-zink1923 Also, I forgot that when you turn that leased or what I call, rented car back in...you have to pay for extra mile and any dints. When you are finished paying that, you might as well have bought it in the first place. You still have to pay high insurance for it and then you have nothing at the end of all those payments.
Very creative - so awesome to have special guests join you like your Walmart shopper friend. lol
The budget has been increasing so I've been able to get some guest appearances.
I need to see more of Steve, wearing less and less. Lol I just love you Agustin. Very intelligent articulate entertaining guy x
Need to see Steve on the next special - I trust that guy
You nailed it sir on so many of these scams. I hate those huge carts. They trick you into making you feel like a weirdo if you just walk up to the checkout with a moderate amount of items. The smaller carts are always so hard to find.
I deliberately don’t get a cart when shopping for a few items. I end up buying more but I make myself CARRY those heavy items rather than get a cart. Lol
Amen!
At first I hated it but now I look for the self-checkouts. I have time to make sure the price is ringing up correctly and have gotten some deals by hitting the 'need assistance button". I've gotten free stuff because they take something "off" because it didn't ring up right - but I still left with the product! At first I felt guilty about that but they have to put in their "code" to change your order, and then they mostly don't follow up with getting it right - so I let it go and leave it in my packed bag. I've spend thousands there over the years so oh well. And I don't care anymore about my little batch of items in a big cart who cares. I wheel that crap out to my car no matter how much or how little I have after years of grocery shopping that S*** gets heavy. Always park close to the cart return corral.
When I was in France I only had public transportation so when I went grocery shopping I could only buy what I could carry (as a 5’3” woman who at the time didn’t do strength training). So I could get about 3-5 days worth of groceries at a time depending on what I was making and only used baskets. Now I do big grocery trips and use the carts with a list… but to this day if I only need a few items I will only grab a basket. I’m teaching this to my husband bc he still automatically grabs a cart and I say NOOO we’re only here for like 3 things! Just get a basket!! Or else….
Do you know what's funny... because of my dyslexia, in college I started to look at all numbers as currency and once I started doing that I was able to understand everything in my statistics, calculus, and later all my accounting classes. Once I started looking at all numbers as money $$ that helped me understand it in my brain and I was able to complete my masters in accounting with a 3.8 GPA. So now that companies are taking $$ sings off everything, it never bugs me cause I don't notice it. 😅
I don't know why your channel was suggested to me a few days ago. But your tips are really great and support the frugal lifestyle.
Warm greetings from Germany.
Thanks and welcome!
Recently I’ve read that supermarkets/ grocery stores have upgraded theirs prices tag and can now be updated in real time. So now they will increase the price for different items during the time people have lunch breaks or after work, when you’re hungry and you want to get something to cook.
Crazy! Tech is pricing everyone out!
Noooo 🤬
Omg
eXcuse me?!? 😵
I know it’s an old one, but…car leases. Sure it’s cheaper per month, but you never own it (unless you chose to buy out the lease for a lot more than you would have paid purchasing it) and there are so many restrictions. You can only drive it so many miles and when you go over you start paying per mile. When you return the car every little ding or scratch will cost you a lot. And then you still need to get your next car….. forever paying. And then there is car financing, the standard terms used to be 3 to 5 years (and you were considered silly if you had a 5 year loan), now most finance 6 to 7 years.
This was great video! Have a great weekend!
I have noticed the smaller sizes but same prices….2) I love the smaller carts but what I try to do is grab the basket or just use my hands and therefore, if I can’t carry it, I don’t buy it.
The outlet malls were originally cheaper. They had seconds and overstocks. It only took a few years for this to change to regular merchandise and regular prices.
And now you can only get the special sale by buying two or more. 😡I don't want two, I only came in for one.
A great collection of scams! Thanks Austin.
Just trying to make you proud, Michelle!
The first time I saw a menu with no dollar sign, I knew it was an expensive restaurant. But this change has been around for so long now I barely notice it anymore. And I’m probably spending more than I should be at restaurants.
Cut restaurants out, I'm giving you the tip!!!
Congrats on your 150th video!
Steve is such a knowledgeable Walmart shopper 😝👍🏼
Let's just say Steve's been around the block a few times.
No other channel makes so much sense and makes me laugh so hard!! thank you Austin for your great videos! They help me so much :)
I'm glad!!!
Thank you for exposing this. I know all about these tricks of the trade.
Finally. someone is openly talking about. Perhaps people will wake up.
Keep on rolling, I really appreciate your content. 😁🙌
Happy Friday Austin, fantastic video, so interesting & you’re totally right!
Really good video and so true!
Thank you, love your content 😊
All your videos are great, but this is definitely one of your best so far, thank you! 🎉
You're awesome. Thanks for the informative and humorous content 👍🏾
I love this. Great video
Good morning Austin! This video is outstanding! Wow. ❤
You just said out what's on my mind . Thank you so much 😊
Great tips will definitely be more mindful. Thank you Agustin
I'm reading The Creature From Jekyll Island. Boy are they ever after your money! Department stores are also outlets. I haven't used my Target store card in years. I remember buying my coffee maker a few years ago. I read the reviews and almost laughed. The water reservoir spout was too small...it was much bigger than my current coffee maker. They called it dangerous because they catch fire. Mine shorted out after 10 years. The truth is in there. It's just confusing at times.
Hey Agustin! Interesting video!!
Excellent video.
You are so amusing! 😅. Thank you for your great information!
Great video. You make a large list very entertaining and concise. I always learn a lot from you.
Thanks!
Love this one, great tips 😁
This review is real: great video!!
Very true, and also entertaining
Brilliant video
Hi Austin 🎉
Just watched this video again and this is my second posting. I’m amazed at the tactics stores use and I must admit they have fooled me for years.
Thanks for all your hard work Austin. I truly appreciate your fine videos.
It is incredible!
Loving the special guest! Another great video Austin👍🏴
The budget is going up for help, so Steve might come on again!
Keep up the great inspirational, motivating work! 😍
So interesting the psychology behind it! You convey the message so well.
I appreciate it!
That Walmart bit was too funny
So true. Great content!
Enjoyed this video. Needs a part 2.
I think it'll be Friday's!
Omg!! You are awesome. Thanks for making this truthful and entertaining at the same time. Preach!
Thanks, Kristy!
Very eye opening video.. ❤
Very good episode Austin, I’ve seen most of these tactics in the UK. I will be even more sceptical in future. Enjoy you content a lot 😀
I think our countries are pretty similar. The one English guy I met a while back told me that the UK is like the US's uncle that tried to take over the world a while back, realized it wasn't worth it, and laid low after that. No matter how much the uncle tries to convince us, we don't listen.
Great video brother. I absolutely love your perspective on things! Keep them coming! 😁💙
very informative. thank you
Very cool. Thanks.
you had me at #1....I hadn't noticed the dropping of the $ on menus. That really is something. A Panera opened on my block (in NYC) last year. At first I was happy to have more soup options in my area (NYC is the soup capital....options on every block). But I didn't really enjoy their soups, certainly not as much as my homemade soup. I haven't been to Panera is over 9 mos. Thanks for letting us know what's behind the curtain.
Homemade soup is healthier, tastier, and more affordable! All homemade food is… but soup is the queen of cost saving home cooking. You can make a huge batch for the week and it freezes well. I just made a lentil soup last night. I save bones from roast chicken (you can even throw them in a freezer bag if you’re not planning to use right away) and make homemade stock along with veggie trimmings for various recipes. Super nutritious and flavorful! :)
This is one of my favourite videos of yours señor Agustín:) comical and informative in equal measure.
Hi Austin,
I've learned a lot from videos like this - yours as well. But the infos you shared was quite new info for even me :) Thank you
todos tus videos son geniales...gracias
Gracias!
I always enjoy watching your videos
GREAT reminders - I agree with all these points. Thank you for producing this valuable content, hermano. 🙏🏻
As I was walking past a coke advertised sign yesterday and I noticed the bright wrapping around the pop bottles and I wondered how many pops would they sell if they had no wrapping around the bottle and everyone could only see the color of the pop. 🤔
Well yah… I’m an author. Books used to be simple leather bound and now have bright packaging, the book covers illustrating the story you’re about to read. I worked very hard on the colors and branding so it would stand out among other books but still fall in line with genre expectations. Marketing has grown so intense!
Love the Wal Mart shopper. LOL Great vid. THANKS!!!!
Thank you so much for a wonderful video 👍🥰
My good man, you every single nail on the head with this one!
Thanks!
Hit ???
Your information is very noteworthy and I enjoy the way you lean into the camera. Glad I found your channel.👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👍🏽👍🏽
Same at Macdonald's, when you're ordering at the machine for eg if you choose a happy meal the cheeseburger option shows on the next screen under other options or more.
I live in the UK. There is an outlet mall about 10 miles away. At the far end of the M&S (which IS cheaper than the high street store) there is a sale section. I have genuinely saved a lot of money in that sale section many times. On one occassion, they cut dresses down to £5, tops to £2.50. I got three large bags with the gift cards I received for xmas. You have to try the items on, there is no right to return but if you get there early on a Sunday morning, you can get some genuine bargains. I try to make clothes last by the way. These are *relatively* good quality compared to the cheaper stores like Primark. If you take a list of items you genuinely need, get there early to avoid the qeue & avoid buying food, I think outlet stores can genuinely help you save.
When you have an escrow account, banks will give you a lower interest rate. Basically, the bank invests your money to make money. I chose to take the higher interest rate and pay my own taxes. My bank sold my mortgage. I paid all my property taxes. There was an issue with a MUD tax in the amount of $500. It was paid 2 weeks late. Now my bank is forcing me into escrow because I have shown that I cannot pay my taxes on time. Now they are taking my money and charging me the higher interest rate. This is an issue that will follow a person for up to 30 years. I am calling and complaining but there is nothing I can do about it until someone, someday sees that this was not fair. They hold my mortgage. If I refuse to pay while they screw me...they take my house :(
This is disgusting. I'm so sorry. The big banks are so corrupt.
In Australia we have the Banking Ombudsman there must be something similar where you are?
Another scam is a store in an outlet mall which isn't really an outlet store. There's a popular store for bath and body products that do this. Their actual outlets are few and far between but you'll find a lot of their regular stores in outlet malls though.
Just found your page today thanks !
Hahahaha! Cute and funny *and* informative! Love the vid, Austin! Backdrop is nice as well.
Trying to change it up! Add a little pop!
Background change is a good idea. Another enjoyable video. Thanks
Hi Augustin! Always enjoy your videos. Would love to see a new outdoor nature vlog. 🙂
I'll try! It's very hard and lots of planning to do it outside. But the leaves are starting to change, so I'll try do something when they do!
You are entertaining. I love your humor ❤
Nailed it!
Have you heard of "skimpflation" Augustine? It's "shrinkflation's" cousin. Its where companies skimp on service or product. An example would be where a food manufacturer replaces one of the top ingredients in a food with a cheaper ingredient or just a very cheap filler. WATCH your ingredient list, people...or better yet, buy mostly whole foods.
In England at one time, cheap bread was made with sawdust added as a filler. Can you imagine? I guess there is nothing new under the sun.♥️🇨🇦
Love your personality 😂
Gracias El Agustín !
a ti!
Preach brother
Hi @ElAgustin, first of all I wanted to thank you for all your videos and great information about finance. This country needs more videos like yours.
Can you make a video about Charles Schwab, and how you got started with the selection of account choice, and any fees to avoid or which fees to expect, any different options they have.
Would be awesome, thank you.
Best finance channel on RUclips.
You know what else is a scam? Every website requiring your name, phone number, email, address, credit card payment, even if you aren't buying anything! Gotta get that data!!
YEAH THAT!!! You just want to find out a price and they want to call you back to discuss. Annoying!
Large shopping carts can help save money when you stock up on deeply discounted items you *normally buy*; you can cut your grocery budget in half. Buying "less stuff" makes sense but staple food items are another matter entirely since you must buy them no matter what.
Really loved this you really made me laugh! Great advice as always too we have the same experience in the uk
I am new to your channel.....how did you get so smart ? I have been frugal my whole life and can enjoy the fruits of my labor but...... have been frugal so long it's hard to break the cycle. Maybe one day you can address this issue ? Oh, and I have a single frugal daughter lol....keep up the good work !!
I think emotion has a lot to do with it. If you feel grounded emotionally you aren't as vulnerable, but if you're mood regulating by spending 'because I deserve it' then you're going to be scammed. It's inevitable.
Thank you for an excellent vlog. I really appreciate it as it helps me to save the small amount of money I have. I have more or less given up on amazon
Awesome!!
I don't know why ppl keep saying Amazon is cheap !. It's not.
@@Christina-sf4py I hate Amazon I've never used it, and never will. I hate everything about it from Bezos down. It's a big NUP! from me...
I really love the way you talk about your advice,it’s so funny you are a legend 💋💋
Great video. Really eye-opening. Most of them apply in Europe, too.
I do a ton of grocery shopping while still living with my parents, and yet stick to a small sized cart, only purchase stuff in a reasonable size than to purchase anything upscale for a higher price.
😂 el Augustin, pls, we need more of this Steve character 😂
Buy now, pay later is a major reason for so much credit card debt in this country.
I always heard, "if it sounds too good to be true, then chances are it is!" Just as true as ever today!
Hi Austin, truly enjoy the content you put out. I am curious to know if you have any plans on creating a video focused on budget traveling? Thanks!
Maybe. Unfortunately (and you probably don't want to hear this), but I do not think it would perform well on my channel which makes me a bit hesitant.
@@ElAgustin I have a different perspective on this. Your channel primarily focuses on educating people about leading a frugal lifestyle. Frugal travelling is definitely a relatable content. I believe that exploring this subject independently can open up a lot of opportunities, such as creating a frugal travel vlog or sharing tips for budget-friendly travel. If you're uncertain about it, maybe you could create a RUclips poll to let your subscribers vote on whether they'd like to see content related to frugal traveling?
Omg that walmart shopper made my day 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉❤❤❤❤
In New Zealand, you'd typically buy precut 1kg blocks of cheese....they've started to run these blocks thinner at 800g, but the front facing dimensions are the same as the 1kg size. Same with boxes of cereal bars, they were 6packs, they're now 5, but same size box.
Loved the Antoine Dodd reference! 🤣🤣🤣